About Us

Our Story began in 1997 in the home of one rescued dog, Peanut, two rescued cats, Shadow and Tiffany, and two people who shared a love and admiration for animals. 

We didn't realize how far that love would take us until Halloween of 1998 when Alex entered our home.

Alex was a beautiful, black ball of fur three month stray Newfoundland/Chow mix puppy found wandering the streets in our neighborhood by our next door neighbor's children.

When I answered the knock at our door, I was greeted by the children with a request for us to keep Alex through the weekend to give them time to convince their Dad to let them keep him.  

Having, what I thought was, enough animals already I agreed to keep him for a few days but explained to the children that if their Dad decided not to let them keep Alex, I would find him a good home.  Christmas was near and I was confident that would not be difficult.

So, I took him from their arms into mine and brought him into our home determined to provide a warm, safe haven but not to get attached.

When my husband came home, all of my well intentions went out the window.  Alex immediately ran to greet him. When Tom reached down and picked him up, Alex wrapped all four legs around him like a baby cub.  At that moment, they formed a special bond that would last for twelve years and we began our journey of providing a loving home to more homeless animals.

The next animal to enter our lives and home was Major, an adorable white Spitz dog.  He quickly adapted with our four legged family members and before long it was as if he had been with us always.

Then, in early summer of 2002, our rescue efforts took on a different meaning and Freckles entered our lives. 

A friend of ours, who volunteered at a local animal shelter, ask if we would organize an adoption/fund raising event for the shelter who desperately needed to locate homes for animals they had rescued and sheltered in their overly crowded facility.

One of these animals was a two-year old chestnut male Shephard mix they called Freckles.  He had been so abused physically and mentally, by his previous owner, it appeared he was unadoptable and only remained alive, rather than being euthanized, out of sympathy he was given by the shelter staff.  Our event was a last effort to find Freckles a loving home.

The event was very successful.  Funds were raised and many dogs and cats were adopted by caring families.  In fact, we even adopted two calico kitten sisters and a fluffy, white collie mix, female 12-week old puppy.

At the end of the day, we all felt excited about what a few organizers and many caring, community families had accomplished except for one thing.  Freckles remained unadopted along with a two-year old female chocolate Lab, who had befriended Freckles, and a white male cat who had grown out of the kitten stage.

At this point, a decision had to be made.  Did we have enough love and time to devote to the three remaining unadopted animals considering the current three dogs and four cats we had already welcomed into our lives and home?  Would they all adapt to one another?  Could we provide the patience that would be required to care for an animal that had been so abused?   

We looked at each other and quickly came to the conclusion that adding three more members to our existing seven four-legged family could work.  We would make it happen.  It was better than the alternative of sending them back to the shelter where Freckles would undoutably be put to sleep.  So, without hesitation, we adopted Freckles, the Lab whom we named Molly and the white cat we called Lilly.  

They all adapted more quickly than we believed was possible and the bond with all of our animals grew stronger with each day.  Over the next few years, we came to understand, by watching our four-legged kids interact with one another and with us, that love given by humans to animals is returned many times over unconditionally. 

You would think that's where Our Story ends but it's not.  As we continue our personal efforts to rescue homeless animals, we felt we could do more. 

In 2008 we formed ICARE for Animals a non-profit organization (www.icareforanimals.org) with a Vision of a life for all animals free of hunger, pain, loneliness and fear and a Mission to save the lives of homeless animals afflicted by neglect, abandonment and cruelty.

We understand that not all families can adopt ten animals into their home.  In fact, for various reasons, some people cannot adopt even one. 

However, we do have a strong belief that people in our Country have big hearts and join us in saying "I Care for Animals, too."  We also believe that Americans will do whatever they can do and give whatever they have within their means to assist in ending the problem we have in our Country of homeless animals just begging for love and offering so much in return.

Please help us...Together...We Can Save Lives!

Tom & Judi Cook, Founders

P.S.  Freckles is doing great!  It's amazing how love can cure even a broken heart, body and spirit.